tolerating

Tolerating refers to the act of allowing something to exist or occur without interference, or of enduring something difficult, unpleasant, or unwanted. It can apply to people, opinions, conditions, or environments. In many contexts, tolerance implies a choice not to suppress or eliminate what is present.

In social and political discourse, tolerance means recognizing the rights of others to hold different beliefs or practices, even if one does not agree. It is distinct from endorsement or approval. Questions about limits arise when tolerance clashes with harm, discrimination, or the protection of vulnerable groups.

In engineering and manufacturing, tolerance is a defined range of permissible variation in a physical dimension or property. Tolerances affect fit and function as well as cost. Tolerance analysis and standards help ensure that parts manufactured in different places will assemble reliably.

In biology and medicine, immune tolerance is the immune system’s acceptance of self-antigens or transplanted tissues. Pharmacological tolerance refers to reduced response to a drug after repeated exposure, often requiring higher doses to achieve the same effect.

The term derives from Latin tolerare, meaning to bear or endure, and entered English with senses related to endurance and forbearance.